Our vision for greener roads

As the Government develops the next Road Investment Strategy, we’re challenging them to rethink the roads programme, and live up to their pledge to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation.

In Rising to the Challenge, we set out a joint green vision for the nation’s major roads developed in partnership with sixteen other environmental charities.

A sustainable future

The Road Investment Strategy (RIS) which allocated £15 billion for Highways England for 2015-2020 is rolling out across the country and the next phase, RIS2, is already being planned, shaping spending on England’s motorways and major roads from 2020.

There’s a lot of talk about technology and growth, smart motorways and ‘mile a minute’ expressways connecting new homes and jobs and growing the economy.

But what kind of strategic road network do we need for a sustainable future?

Measuring success

The first Road Investment Strategy had targets on environmental performance and, thanks in part to the designated funds we helped secure, has begun to deliver some improvements, but there’s much more to be done.

We have proposed a comprehensive set of stronger measures for RIS2, which would help focus future road programmes on delivering a greener network.

We want to see progress from measuring activity to measuring impact: for example, the ecological status of waterways not just how many culverts have been upgraded.

And we want to see Highways England do more to tackle environmental problems at source: for example, using noise-reducing surfaces, instead of installing double-glazing.

These performance metrics matter because they are the basis on which Highways England’s work is monitored and they affect how spending is prioritised.

Working together

Our report would not have happened without the expert participation of fellow NGOs who contributed to the report and are backing its vision.

Together they have shown not only the range of impacts that roads have, but the great potential to transform the strategic road network for the better.

By taking on board the expertise that environmental organisations have to share, the Government can develop a roads policy that lives up to the pledge to leave the environment in a better state for the next generation.